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Rockwall Commissioners move forward on FEMA grant for backup generators amid funding questions
Summary
The court approved moving forward with a FEMA hazard-mitigation grant application that would fund backup generators for county facilities; commissioners debated scope, pay‑upfront/reimbursement timing and where local match would come from before approving the application 5–0.
Rockwall County Emergency Management Coordinator Rawson told the commissioners court on Jan. 13 that the county's application under FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (DR‑4781, April 2024 severe storms) would fund backup generators for three county facilities (the county library, the Whitmore Building and the commissioner's courthouse building) at an estimated total project cost of about $1,000,000 with a 25 percent local match.
Rawson said the county had been selected as a primary project to be forwarded to FEMA and that FEMA had requested information, putting the application "approximately 70 percent of the way through" the process. He offered an option to reduce scope to the library alone, which he estimated at $512,000 with a local match of $128,000.
"If we do reduce it, the primary facility that I would like to focus on would actually be the library because it houses our IT department and served as a recovery hub during COVID," Rawson said. (Coordinator Rawson)
Commissioners debated three funding questions: whether the county has the liquid cash to pay the full cost up front and await reimbursement, which local fund or contingency should cover the match and whether all three facilities are necessary given existing generators at other county locations. County Auditor Lisa Constant Wiley said the county would charge the cost to a receivable and the match would be budgeted to the appropriate fund; she also identified Fund 51 as a potential source with about $181,750 available at the time of the meeting.
Several commissioners urged moving forward with the application because the federal reimbursement would cover the majority of the cost and the county could decline funding later if needed; others cautioned that proceeding without a funding plan risked complications if the county had to provide the full payment before reimbursement. Emergency coordinator Rawson and staff agreed to return to the next court with a funding plan if the grant proceeds.
Commissioner Lichty moved to approve moving forward with the application for the FEMA hazard-mitigation grant under DR‑4781; Commissioner Guiana seconded. The motion passed 5–0.
The court recorded directions to the coordinator to refine the scope and return with a recommended funding plan and contract modifications for county counsel review before final acceptance of grant awards.
